The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1887-09-13

Thousand people. ny high noon il viii be over
flowing with the throHg. The waving OF gaady
fans and the n0dding 81 n9uy heads make IL
seem, come closer TO IL. like a vast bed of
animated blossoms rs indeed ii is 1t Is bui!t
III the form 81 q crescent ou one side Of an ex-
ccllcnt mile track. and rs We ride up fast trot-
ter passes us. taking n spin over the first quar-
ter TO heat up for the coming tTot. The dust
rises from his nimble footballs in little puiis
like exploding shells aud hovcrs like cloud
behind the vision of whirling wheels which
speeds by u.s.
just in front Of the stand circle one-eighth
OF n mile in circumference surrounds the pa
Wilton where the judges and the board are
located. This is in the center OF small
mound sloping up to it and sodded thickiy
with bluegrass. On this knoll a hundred or
so distinguished people stand about or sit in
chairs on the sward TO get in among this
conyocation Of the elect requires a special
badge, for at the little gate which opens into
II stands policeman specially detailed to
keep the sheep and goats apart. Underneath
the amphitheater are baggagerooms and booths
Of all kinds-some private and others public
dining rooms or lemonade and cigar stands.
Not drop OF liquor can be had on the grounds
for love or money, unless you find some gentle
granger with bottle of native wine in his
lunch basket Any person heard swearing or
making bet will be at once elected by the
police and dcbarred the privilege OF returning.
The form OF gambling to be seen is at "a shed
over near the ladies' cottage, where the walk
ing cane liend has his forest of sticks, at
which you may pitch rings to your hearts con-
tent and take out whatever one your ring en-
circles.
Get ont in front of the stand on the knoll
] have spoken Of and look about you. All
along, the tllipse banks Of seats rise tier above
tier and all full of men and women. There
are perhaps thousand OF your friends there,
yet you can scarcely recognize half dozen OF
them. The constant motion Of the people and
the roaring murmur of voices for the moment
bewildor you, and neither the sight nor the
attention can long be fixed on one spot. Those
about you can be easily recognized, but not
those upon the huge stand. There are men Of
prominence from all over the state rubbing
elbows with you and the band is filling the air
with music. The promenade around the top of
the stand is one continual throng of moyings
people, and there the young lover
are cOngreeated, pursuing their
way through the crowd with locked arms
and brushing past hundreds Of other couples in
their way And the broad passway along the
bottom OF the seats is filed in like manner,
only there are no lovers there. These young
souls filled as they are with bliss, want to get
near heaven as possible and a host of
them are going up and down the stairs which
lead TO the observatory on top of the edfce.
In the ring the Judges are deciding tho merits
Of score OF suck ling colts, and over in the
spot OF pasture beyond others are tying the
ribbons on tho sheep and hogs. Beyond You
to the north and cast the city is spread out be-
fore you with its many stecplcs rising out of
q nest of trees and a wilderness of houses.
Long lines of stables mark the confines of the
ground, and off TO the right of the ~stand III
temporary buildings all manner of farm ma
chnery is whirring away moved by half a doz-
en- portable engines.
Back OF the stand the floral hall rises, n cir
cular brick building shaped like the CYCLIC
ramas we see in cities. 1t has three galleries
running around the entire building. On the
lower one all sorts of farm and garden produce
It is fine fountain playing from amidst
forest of ferns and pottcd plants. On the
second gallery fancy articles of needle work,
etc, are on dress parade, and jutting out into
the central space is balcony wherein fine
string band makes music all day long. The
third gallery is devoted to pictures. Some
loan collections, others entered for premiums.
Up all the stairways, and around all the gal
leries, is the tripping of feet and the murmurs
of voices, for this too, is thronged with visi-
tors.
And back of the floral hall is n fine grove of
trees where hundreds of vehicles are placed
out of the way, and hundreds of hospitabe
lunches are spread upon the grass at noon.
The ancient hospitality has not altogether died
away.
If we go back to the stand we find herds of
cattle and magnificent rings of horses, alter
mating with the heats of trotting races and
listen TO enthusiastic shouts as the premium is
awarded, or some young trotter comes in win
ner of the heat. And so the bright Septem-
Der day is quickly passed, and we go back to
town delighted with the spendor of the new
times, but signing little for the honest COM
fort OF palmer joys Of the olden days
FALCON